Recovery of Molybdenum and Vanadium from Spent Catalyst

Abstract

Desulfurization catalyst containing molybdenum is used in oil refining to remove the sulfur. This desulfurization catalyst loses its activity by adhesion of nickel and vanadium present in crude oil, and is exhausted as waste catalyst. We have been recovering the molybdenum and vanadium from the spent catalyst since 1978.
The recovered molybdenum is recycled again for the catalyst as pure MoO₃. Moreover, the obtained vanadium (V₂O₅) is reused as ferro-vanadium alloy by the thermit process. By our recycling system, high quality molybdenum and vanadium are efficiently provided. Thus, we are producing vanadium of purity 99.9% from the recovered vanadium.